feminist
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
- antifeminist noun
- antifeministic adjective
- nonfeminist adjective
- profeminist noun
- unfeminist noun
Etymology
Origin of feminist
First recorded in 1850–55 (probably in the current sense, but possibly in the sense “feminine, womanly”); from Latin fēmina “woman” + -ist ( def. )
Explanation
A feminist is someone who supports equal rights for women. If your brother objects strongly to women being paid less than men for doing the same job, he's probably a feminist. If you believe that women should have the same political, social, and economic rights as men, you are a feminist. It has absolutely nothing to do with putting down men or boys in order to elevate the status of women. The word feminist comes from feminism, which originally meant simply "being feminine," or "being a woman," but gained the meaning "advocacy of women's rights" in the late 1800s.
Vocabulary lists containing feminist
When Fake is Real: Young People Rebel Against Instagram, Via Instagram
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Brown Girl Dreaming
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Chapter 29: The Civil Rights Era
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As a feminist who loathes the idea of toxic masculinity, I’ve worked to understand what is going on with the sexes these days.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
“We need more voices — feminist perspectives, stories from marginalized communities, an honest reckoning with colorism and the hierarchies embedded in South Asian culture,” Singh said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Even as the revolt against anything deemed feminist grew, more women began to teach writing classes or hold reading sessions, making these spaces more accessible for other women.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
That would require men to embrace feminist behaviors like treating women as equals and doing their fair share of housework.
From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026
It’s dark but not late, and Abby and Nick want to take me to this feminist bookstore that evidently has a lot of gay stuff.
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.